Cable harness laying device

ABSTRACT

A cable harness laying device for fastening on a laying shelf to position a cable harness. The cable harness laying device comprises at least two columns fastened to the laying shelf and extending from the laying shelf, a bridge spaced from the laying shelf and extending between the columns, a generally elongated holding finger disposed on each of the columns and extending away from the laying shelf beyond the bridge, the holding fingers each being movable relative to their respective column in the direction of their elongation, a generally U-shaped channel defined by the holding fingers and the bridge, wherein the channel houses the cable harness, and a spring connection for each of the holding fingers biasing the holding fingers away from the bridge to a use position, the holding fingers being movable relative to their respective column away from the use against the bias of the spring connection.

In electrical plants having a large number of connecting cables, it isusual to amalgamate these cables into cable harnesses, as they areknown, and to pre-manufacture these for the purpose of easier assembly.For the premanufacture, a laying device is used which exhibits, on abench-like laying shelf, as it is known, a plurality of mountings whichare open at the top and into which the cables are inserted and by whichthe cable harness, especially at branches and bends, is held in thepredetermined position. If all individual cables are gathered togetherin the device to form the cable harness, the cable harness is laced at anumber of points by means of cable binders and removed from the layingdevice.

Known laying devices exhibit U-shaped holders, which are formed by twoholding fingers fastened to a common column, the upper end of thecolumn, at the base of the two holding fingers, forming a support forthe cable harness, which is raised from the laying shelf so that adistance which is necessary for the engagement of a binding tool, isleft between the cable harness and the cable shelf. At the points wherethe cable harness changes its laying direction, holders are used, theU-opening of which is laterally directed, the upper one of the holdingfingers, which in this case are horizontally disposed, being able to beswung out upwards in order to simplify the removal of the cable harness.Yet other holders have the form of simple nails or pins, which arehammered into the laying shelf and likewise serve for the laterallimitation of the cable harness position. (Source of this prior art:Prospectuses of the companies Panduit Corp. and Thomas & Betts).

For the lacing of cable harnesses by means of cable binders, lacingtools are used, which comprise an arm-thick tool body and, at the frontend of this, a narrow guide part which enclasps the cable harness in apincer-like manner. The cable binders are readily placed as close aspossible to branches or bends in the cable harness. These are alsohowever precisely those points at which, in the laying device, a holderor holding finger is generally located. The cable binder shouldtherefore desirably be placed as close as possible to such a holder orholding finger. The width of the tool body often proves to be anobstacle to this, since it makes it impossible to apply the narrow guidepart directly next to a holder. For the bending region of a cableharness, U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,934 therefore proposes a holding fingerwhich is displaceable in its longitudinal direction on a holding pinhammered into the laying shelf and which supports at its lower end aplate serving to support the cable harness. As soon as the cable harnessis ready-moulded and is set to be laced, the finger, together with theplate, is lowered on the holding pin, so that the cable harness now liesexposed in this region and is accessible to a lacing tool. This knownsolution has the drawback that the support for the cable harness and itslateral limitation are lost whenever the holding finger is lowered. Itdemands therefore that the cable harness should be held rigidly in theproximity of the bend, namely by vertically inflexible holders on whichthere are disposed, in each case, a pair of clamps which are resilientlyflexible transversely to the cable harness and the flexibility of whichis dimensioned such that wires for the creation of the cable harness canbe introduced between them and the finished cable harness removedbetween them (U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,277). The flexibility is not howeversufficient to make the cable harness freely accessible to a lacing tool.This was manifestly not considered necessary in the region of thestraight path of the cable harness, since it was felt that there was inany case sufficient space available there in which to fit the lacingpoint or arrange a column. Yet this overlooks the importance ofbranches, which can emanate from the straight path of the cable harnessand at which both a column and a lacing point are readily provided. Theobject of the invention is to provide a cable harness laying deviceaccording to the preamble of Claim 1, which grants the cable harness agood and, even during the lacing operation, residual support and yetallows broadly free access to the lacing tool.

The solution according to the invention resides in the features of claim1 and preferably in those of the subclaim.

The fact that a holder is used, the holding finger of which isdeflectable in a direction running approximately transversely to thecable harness direction and is returned by spring force into theoriginal setting, enables the tool to approach the holding finger suchthat the latter is dislodged from its position and thereby offers thetool the chance to reach places which would otherwise be refused it.Since the column of the cable harness is not connected to the deflectingholding finger but remains fixed during normal use, the cable harnesssupport is maintained in the vertical direction even when an advancedlacing tool forces the holding finger to deflect.

The holding finger is displaceable in its longitudinal direction on orin a column to which it is fitted. In particular, the column can be oftubular construction, the holding finger being able to be slidtelescopically into the column. This takes place against spring force,which returns the holding finger into its original position as soon asthe force dislodging it comes to an end. The deflection motion of theholding finger in its own direction, i.e. mostly downwards in thedirection of the laying shelf, is therefore particularly advantageous,since the binding tools are generally suspended above the laying shelfand are therefore advanced towards the cable harness from above.

The term `holding finger` is intended, in the context of the invention,to embrace all devices which are used for the lateral limitation of thecable harness position. In a paired arrangement of the holding fingers,the cable harness support is formed by a bridge, which interconnects thecolumns fastened separately in each case to the laying shelf.

The invention is illustrated in greater detail below with reference tothe illustrative embodiment represented in the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a top view of a laying device,

FIG. 2 shows a side view of two paired holding fingers, and

FIG. 3 shows a part-view of a cable harness in the laying device duringthe lacing operation.

The cable harness 2 with its branches 3 has to be laid on the layingshelf 1, which can but does not have to be horizontally disposed in thestyle of a bench. In order to secure the cables temporarily in theintended position, holders 4 are provided, which respectively enclasptwo holding fingers on both sides of the cable harness. In addition,individual holding fingers are provided at 5 in the region of branches.It can be seen that the holders are primarily deployed whereverdeviations and branches take place. The points at which cable binders 6are to be placed can also be seen from FIG. 1, namely at the respectivebranches, the said cable binders also, in part, being doubly arranged ascross-binders 7.

Both the holders and the binders can only optimally discharge theirfunction if they respectively work their way into the corners of thedeviations and branches. The binders are therefore ideally located atthe same place as the holders, virtually at the least possible distancefrom the latter.

In order to enable the binding tool to be applied in the direct vicinityof the holders, the holders have the construction which is apparent fromFIG. 2. They comprise a column 8, which can be suitably fastened to thelaying shelf 1, and the actual holding finger 9, which is guidedtelescopically in the tubular column 8 and can be slid into it againstspring force.

The holders can be amalgamated into pairs, as is represented in FIG. 2.Although they are fastened separately to the laying shelf, they arenevertheless connected close to the upper end of the columns 8 by abridge 10, which keeps them at that distance which is right for theparticular thickness of the cable harness and forms, moreover, a supportfor the cable harness at a distance from the laying shelf 1. Bridges 10are stocked in different lengths to enable account to be taken ofdifferent cable harness thicknesses. Hence each variant of upwardly openholders which is required in practice is able to be realized with justone type of holders or holding fingers and a plurality of bridges.

FIG. 3 shows a cable harness 2 and a holder 4, comprising column 8 andholding finger 9, in side view. If a lacing is required to be performeddirectly alongside, then the tool 12 is advanced from above, the narrowband guide 13 which enclasps the cable harness 2 in a pincer-like mannerhaving to be placed at the binding point directly next to the holder 4.This would be impossible if the holding finger 9 were to maintain itsoriginal setting indicated in dash-dot representation. Since, however,it can be slid telescopically into the column 8, it is able to bedislodged by the tool 12, which has been advanced from above and doesnot therefore form any obstacle to the lacing directly next to theholder 4. The cable harness support 10 herein maintains its position.There is therefore no fear of the cable harness becoming verticallydeformed (transversely to the laying shelf) in the lacing region.Moreover, the cable harness remains laterally limited by the holdingfingers 9, since these are dislodged only insofar as the tool isadvanced. They are thus deflectable without their guide function beinglost.

I claim:
 1. Cable harness laying device having at least one holder whichcan be fastened on a laying shelf and is adapted to position a cableharness, characterized in that said holder comprisesat least two columnsfastened to said laying shelf and extending from said laying shelf, abridge spaced from said laying shelf and extending between said columns,a generally elongated holding finger disposed on each of said columnsand extending away from said laying shelf beyond said bridge, saidholding fingers each being movable relative to their respective columnin the direction of their elongation, a generally U-shaped channelformed on two sides by said holding fingers and on a third side by saidbridge, wherein said channel houses the cable harness, and a springconnection for each of said holding fingers biasing said holding fingersaway from said bridge to a use position, said holding fingers beingmovable relative to their respective column away from said use positionagainst the bias of said spring connection.
 2. The cable harness layingdevice of claim 1 wherein each of said holding fingers is mounted fortelescopic movement on its respective column.